Red and Yellow Roses
by stormyunicorn
Summary: She leaves and they meet again; how their friendship is paused, then continued, then reborn into something a little more. For Jerza Week. modern!au
1. Chapter 1

**Embrace**

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 _Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters._

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On that muggy Friday in the beginning of August when she was eleven years old, Erza tried to say goodbye to her best friend without actually saying goodbye.

Saying goodbye was a trickier business than she thought it would be- at least, saying goodbye to Jellal was. He was her best friend and had been her neighbor since the beginnings of first grade. All her goodbyes had been said, except this one; saying goodbye to Jellal felt like she would be admitting defeat, and accepting that she really had to go.

Her family was leaving in an hour, to a big city with its flashing lights and spaghetti freeways and many people. Her dad said that the move was good for everyone, that there would be more job opportunities and a better school with more after school programs and harder classes. Her mom said that she would make friends easily and that Erza should be grateful they weren't moving in the middle of the school year, where she would immediately pegged as the new kid. Despite that, Erza still wasn't too happy about the move. Despite Erza's unhappiness about their moving, her parents didn't call it off.

So Jellal and Erza laid on her front lawn in the shade of the U-Haul van, waiting for the inevitable. To pass the time, they read Jellal's copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The book sat in the middle as they rested on their stomachs, their shoulders touching. Jellal always finished the page before Erza, and would wait for Erza to be done, doodling planets and stars and roses from the bush on the front lawn into the corners.

The neighborhood was silent as they read, no birds chirping or people chatting on their front lawns. With the combination of 100 degree Fahrenheit heat and high humidity, the neighbors understandably preferred the company of their air conditioners to each other.

Erza's mom broke the quiet, when she opened the front door and called: "Erza! Get up! We are leaving in five minutes."

Her stomach twisted. Unable to look at Jellal, she kept her eyes fixed on the ground as he placed the bookmark between the paper pages and closed the book. The bookmark marked the page in the middle of chapter 14: "The Triumph of the Witch", the chapter in which Aslan was humiliated, placed on the stone table and killed as the Pevensie sisters watched. Both she and Jellal had read the book before, but Erza felt like she finally understand how brave Aslan was. He gave himself up, and suffered through, just to save someone. And while saying goodbye isn't nearly the same thing as being killed, Erza figured that she would never be as brave as Aslan was in that moment.

But she could try right? And Erza did, pushing herself off the ground as she puzzled over how and what to say. Before she could though, the book was thrust against her chest.

"Here," Jellal said, a sheepish smile adorning his face. "Keep it."

Erza looked down, baffled as to why the book was clutched in her hands, why he was telling her to keep it. "But it's yours! Your dad gave it to you. I can't-"

Jellal laughed. "It's a gift, Erza. You can't turn down a gift."

She hugged him.

It was quick and hurried, her arms barely wrapped around him before she let go. But the butterflies still fluttered in her stomach at the short embrace.

"Thank you," she muttered. "For the book and for being my friend."

And as she clutched his worn-down copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Jellal smiled a boyish smile, the way only boys could, the way that made her heart thump.

He was still smiling that smile -albeit, a bit sadder- as Erza ran to her mom's car to leave, her dad driving the U-Haul behind them, presumably to never see him again.

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 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you all for reading this! It was written for Jerza Week, based on the Day 1 prompt "embrace". Reviews are welcomed- whether it be compliments or constructive criticism.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Tattoos**

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 _Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters._

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Erza tapped the pencil against her chin one, two, three times. It was a slow day at Mirajane's flower shop, Flower Soul, and Erza was taking advantage of the lack of customers to complete schoolwork- a five page essay on how the word choice in A Midsummer's Night Dream affects the tone. 

A sigh escaped from her lips. Shakespeare never was Erza's strong suit, and she was desperately wishing for Lucy to be back to help her translate the play into something that made more sense. 

The bell above the door jingled, announcing the presence of a customer. Glancing at her phone, Erza saw the time: 12:45 pm. Jellal's lunch break had just started, and he must've come to visit her straight away from his work -Tattoo Sorceress- the tattoo shop across the street. 

Erza didn't know why it pleased her so much that he would come immediately to visit her. The weekly visits had only been occurring for a couple months, but they had already turned into a source of great joy. Even though originally it was just Jellal ordering a "thank-you-for-hiring-me" bouquet for his boss and friend, Ultear, their short conversations quickly began to include work, college, and old memories from their childhood before she moved away. 

Looking up, Erza spoke the customary greeting with a smile: "Hello and welcome to Flower Soul, where our bouquets are sure to cheer your spirits. How can I help you?" 

"Hello, Erza. I'm here for the weekly bouquet," Jellal said. 

"Yes, of course. Which flowers would you like?" 

"Can you do what you did last week? Ultear's in a bad mood, and she really liked last week's bouquet." 

"Sure." Erza smiled, and turned to examine their selection of flowers, in search of the carnations and alstroemeria. While Erza was slightly disappointed she didn't get to try out new flower combination, she didn't blame Ultear for liking the previous week's bouquet. It was one of Erza's favorites, too. 

"You know," Jellal said. "Perhaps we should go out for coffee sometime." 

Erza stopped in her examination of the blossoms. "Like a date?" 

"Uh, yeah, if that's what you'd like it to be. If not, just view it as a friendly outing to catch up on what happened in our lives between you moving and us reuniting." She went silent at that, contemplating the potential coffee date and finishing up the bouquet. 

When she started wrapping up the flowers, she noticed that Jellal was studying her. While his face was schooled into a relaxed expression, his nervousness was betrayed by his fingers, tapping steadily on the table. 

With a small huff, she finished wrapping the bouquet, and sped to where the yellow roses were. Blushing, she returned to the counter, and held it out to Jellal. 

"Here," she mumbled. 

He squinted in confusion. "What? Erza, you know Ultear doesn't like roses or the color yellow, right?" 

Erza let out an exasperated sigh. "It's for you. The yellow rose symbolizes friendship." 

As Jellal's lips formed an 'oh' shape, Erza smiled at him. "I'd be happy to go on a friendly outing to catch up with you." 

The red tattoo over his eye crinkled up with his smile. "Then, I'll see you 10am, Saturday, at Coffee Magic?" 

"Yes." His smile grew even larger at her confirmation.

"Great!"

As he gathered the bouquet for Ultear and the sunny rose in his arms, Erza realized how perfect the flowers were. The red carnations with their ruffled petals, balanced against the white, almost cream alstroemeria. The monte casino asters were like tiny purple suns hidden partially by the clouds of the two other flowers, but their color still coming through. And the single yellow rose, the color of happiness, brighter than all of the flowers. While holding them, Jellal appeared to be a mess of colors- a beautiful and perfect mess, in Erza's opinion, with his slightly messy hair and broad shoulders and smile that makes her heart skip a beat. 

Right before he walked across the street, back to Tattoo Sorceress, he turned and smiled at her, which she returned. 

Yup. Perfection.

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 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you for reading this! I think, I just made this into a florist/tattoo artist!au, along with this being a modern day!au.**_

 _ **Just so you know, these are going to be interconnected oneshots- most likely non!linear. I view them as all taking place in the same universe, but if you don't, I'm totally fine with that. All of these chapters will be relating somehow to the Jerza Week prompts, some more loosely than others.**_

 _ **Carnations, alstroemeria, and monte casino asters are legitimate flowers. I chose these flowers because they are very pretty in my opinion, not because of their meaning.**_

 _ **This oneshot is based on the Jerza Week Day 2 prompt "tattoos", albeit very loosely. Sorry this is late, by the way.**_

 _ **Anyway, reviews are welcomed- whether constructive criticism, flames, or compliments.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Love**

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 _Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and its characters._

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Jellal first told Erza he loved her during a late night phone call while she was visiting family. Visiting relatives was a tedious task: her mother demanding and temperamental, her father silent and ignorant. Erza often found solace in Jellal, in his deep voice and smile that can be heard through the phone.

Somehow, whenever they spoke on the phone, she always ended up facing towards the sky. Especially, at night, her gaze always trekking up to the stars that glitter like silver coins. She isn't sure why. Perhaps it's because the sky is ever changing, a vision of love from an eternal painter's canvas. Maybe it's because looking at the sky reminded her that it was possible that he was looking up at the same blue, the same sun, the same moon. But Erza believed that she always ended up staring at the sky because it was easier to pretend someone was with her when her head was up in the stars, the twilight blanket wrapped around her.

During those phone calls, Erza was often reminded of Lucy's stories about how the stars and their constellations are friendly souls that look down upon humans to protect them and to guide them. Erza wasn't sure whether she believed these stories, but as she talked with Jellal, bantering and laughing, it sometimes appeared as if the stars were reacting to what she was saying, winking and brightening and dimming, all depending on the tone of her voice. However, usually she just wrote it off as her imagination being mischievous.

When Jellal said "I love you", only the twilight and wind and her were the witnesses. At his wistful confession, the wind stopped whispering sweet nothings in her ear and stars paused in their flickering. The stars and wind were shocked into silence with her, their inhale refusing to turn into an exhale.

His confession was random and unexpected and touching. Erza wanted to bask in those three words in both fear and adoration. If Erza could have, she would've frozen the moment forever and preserved it between glass and her memories like one would a snowflake from the Arctic.

But basking forever is not an option, and a second's pause can feel like an eternity. So Erza responded, entirely sure in her response, despite being unsure in the development.

"I love you," Erza returned, voice a whisper, her heart lovestruck.

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 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you all for reading this! Also, thank you if you've reviewed, followed, or favorited this story.**_

 _ **This chapter is based on the Jerza Week Day 3 prompt "love".**_

 _ **Reviews are welcomed- whether they be constructive criticism, flames, or compliments.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Haunted**

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 _Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters._

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"Erza, you don't have to do this," Jellal said.

"Yes, I do. I can't back out of a triple dog dare."

"Erza, Sho was joking around." The glare she sent Jellal's way was usually enough to shut people up, but not Jellal. His only response was "Please don't do this."

Jellal was scared, she realized. His eyes were wide as he stood behind her, staring up at the two-story mansion. And he wasn't scared for himself- no. He was scared for Erza. Not that Erza blamed him. She was scared for herself, too.

The source of their fear was the King's Mansion, their small town's resident haunted house. Mr. and Mrs. King -bitter, stingy, and isolated- were murdered in that house by the servant that bought them groceries, cleaned, and cooked for them. The murder was brutal- Mrs. King having been stabbed 6 times in the stomach, and eventually dying in a pool of her own (and her husband's) blood. Their bodies weren't found for weeks, not until the servant cracked and confessed. The stains from the killing were still there, embedded in the raggedy carpet and rotting wood. You could see the stains if you entered the house, but doing so would sign your death warrant, as the ghosts of Mr. and Mrs. King did not take kindly to strangers encroaching on their property. Along with the threat of death, howls could be heard coming from the mansion late at night, said to be echoes of the pain the ghosts felt at their death.

This was all according to urban legend though. And while the details were most likely exaggerated, and unlike what truly happened, to Mr. Rob's second grade class, that story was truth and the house was to be avoided.

. . . . At least until Sho triple-dog dared Erza to run up to side of the house and touch the side of the house, or else be declared the wimpiest scaredy-cat in the whole of second grade. Suddenly, the house was a great source of entertainment as Erza accepted the dare to defend her honor.

Jellal was roped into participating, unwillingly yet not wanting to abandon his friend. His job was to make sure Erza actually went through with the dare. (Also, to come back and tell the class what happened if the ghosts killed her, but he chose not to mention that to Erza.)

Jellal, knowing Erza wouldn't turn back until it was over with, sighed. "When I say go," he started. "Run for the wall."

"Okay," she responded, her voice shaking in fear.

"On your mark." Erza prepared her running position, resting her hands on her right knee.

"Get set." She took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves.

"GO!"

And Erza was off, sprinting up the hill towards the mansion. Urging her tiny legs to run as fast as she can, she reached the gray rotting walls. She high-fived the splintery wall, then turned around, barely stopping for breath. Her thighs ached and her lungs burned, but she didn't dare stop.

She was almost to Jellal, halfway down the hill, when suddenly a howl roared up from the inside of the house. Startled, Erza looked back, and simultaneously tripped on a thick patch of grass. She tried to collect herself, regain her composure after her embarrassing fall and the stinging coming from the scratches on her hands and knees.

The wind gusted through the night, tangling through her hair. The howling became even worse. Desperately, she pushed herself to her knees, when suddenly a hand grasped hers, and pulled her up into a run.

It was Jellal, his blue hair blowing with wind.

"Come on!" he yelled. "Hurry, before the ghost gets you!"

They sprinted, past the steel gates, and onto the sidewalks, his hand still holding hers. They continued to run, their legs hurting and out of breath, until there four to five blocks separating them and the mansion.

After that they slowed to a walk, the danger over, but fear still coursing through their veins.

Their hands didn't leave each other's, not until that fear was long gone and happiness had returned.

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 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Thank you all for reading this! Also, thank you if you've reviewed, followed, or favorited this story.**_

 _ **This chapter is based on the Jerza Week Day 4 prompt "haunted".**_

 _ **Reviews are welcomed- whether they be constructive criticism, flames, or compliments.**_


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